Without further ado, the Free Press sports department proudly unveils this year’s All-State Football Team: Defense.

By taking into account feedback from coaches in every corner of the state, input from other media outlets and our own expertise, we laid out who we think are the very best: A first team offense and defense many would covet and an honorable-mention listing with even more. It’s a demanding process and a subjective one, but something we approach with great pride and care.

It’s as tough a list to crack as it ever was, but one that has stood for 29 years as Vermont’s true all-state team.

Editor's note: Players selected only make one team — defense or offense — and won't be listed multiple times like the coaches' squads.

THE FIRST TEAM

Brett Bohlmann(Photo: Courtesy)

BRETT BOHLMANN

Burlington-South Burlington

Junior, lineman

6-foot-5, 220 pounds

•The player: A captain and two-way lineman, Bohlmann produced a breakout junior campaign for the SeaWolves. The length and leverage of Bohlmann, a former tight end and running back, combined with his athleticism, made him an ideal player at end to set the edge, rush the passer and figure strongly in the rush defense. Bohlmann's season-long impact was on display in the SeaWolves' playoff-clinching overtime win over Rutland when he teamed up with Manny Dodson for the game-saving, goal-line tackle. "He lifts year round, he lifts with me in the mornings. There's still untapped potential there," coach Joe McDonald said. "I know he's going to get even better."

Noah Crossman.(Photo: Courtesy)

NOAH CROSSMAN

Rutland

Senior, lineman

5-foot-11, 168 pounds

•The player: Just his third year of playing football, Crossman, who also plays hockey and runs track, overcame his size disadvantage against bigger opponents with athleticism and sheer speed. Crossman collected more than 50 tackles, picked up six sacks and recovered two fumbles for the Division I finalist Raiders. "He did a lot of things you don’t really notice unless you are a football person," coach Mike Norman said. "He’s like the eraser on defense because of his athleticism and speed on defense." Crossman was also the team's kicker and punter, helping Rutland flip field position in key situations throughout the year.

Lamin Latikka(Photo: Courtesy)

LAMIN LATIKKA

St. Johnsbury

Senior, lineman

6-foot-2, 205 pounds

•The player: A broken collarbone suffered this summer cost Latikka half his season, but the returning BFP first-teamer was still among the state's most feared and disruptive defensive players when healthy. The Finland native produced nine of his 46 tackles for loss, had one sack and forced three fumbles for a SJA team that gave up just seven points over four games upon his return. "He was that dominant," coach Rich Alercio said. "He could separate from blockers because he has good hands and good acceleration. As soon as he gets a read on the ball, he was like no none else I have ever seen."

Jacob Allen.(Photo: Courtesy)

JACOB ALLEN

Poultney

Senior, linebacker

5-foot-9, 215 pounds

•The player: The Blue Devils' leading rusher and top weapon on offense (1,476 yards, 22 TDs), Allen was also the heart and soul on defense as they reached the program's first Division III state final since 2007. “His engine never stops. He’s continually going forward — offensively he tries to get that yard, defensively he tries to get that negative tackle," Poultney coach Dave Capman said of the hard-nosed senior. “There wasn’t any question if it was a 1-on-1 situation he wasn’t going to try to avoid the contact.” The lead-by-example four-year starter finished with 97 tackles (11 for loss) and an interception return for a TD.

Patrick Burke.(Photo: Courtesy)

PATRICK BURKE

Mount Mansfield

Senior, linebacker

6-foot-2, 235 pounds

•The player: Also a ruthlessly efficient offensive lineman, Burke impacted the game most impressively when the Cougars didn't have the ball, his mental and physical gifts combining to a devastating effect. The four-year starter had a team-leading 127 tackles and 18 for loss, as well as five sacks, three forced fumbles, two interceptions and a spectacular scoop-and-score fumble recovery for a TD in his team's championship victory. “He’s a true competitor and he’s one of the smartest football players I’ve ever coached," MMU coach Marty Richards said. "He called our coverages defensively, called our strengths defensively and would audible out of what we were doing.”

Manny Dodson(Photo: Courtesy)

MANNY DODSON

Burlington-South Burlington

Senior, linebacker

6-foot-1, 230 pounds

•The player: A captain who led by example and respected among his peers, Dodson is one of the three returning BFP first-teamers on defense. With a hard-nosed yet in control pursuit of the football, Dodson was almost unblockable — a run-stuffer with the ability for the big-loss tackle at any moment. "I didn’t see anyone better than him in the state and that goes for last year too," coach Joe McDonald said. "He has the ability to be aggressive and know when to use it and use it in the proper manner. He has a lot of things you just can't teach." Dodson was also a key piece of the SeaWolves' offense, rushing for 170 yards in the playoff clincher.

Hunter Palmieri(Photo: Courtesy)

HUNTER PALMIERI

St. Johnsbury

Junior, linebacker

6-foot, 185 pounds

•The player: The return of Lamin Latikka shored up one area of concern, but Palmieri's move from outside to inside linebacker also proved transformational for the Hilltoppers' defense. "Nobody could run away from him anymore," coach Rich Alercio said. "He had a pretty good idea where they were running the ball and was able to get there immediately. Awareness and speed made him a dominant defensive player." Palmieri was in on 95 tackles,12.5 of those for losses, forced a fumble and picked off two passes. The junior was also among the state's top receivers, hauling in 70 balls for 1,313 yards and 13 TDs.

Tyler Buxton.(Photo: Courtesy)

TYLER BUXTON

Middlebury

Junior, back

5-foot-11, 165 pounds

•The player: Buxton's breakout season and the Tigers' semifinal run went hand-in-glove this fall when, in his second year as a starter, he blossomed into a force on both sides of the ball. Buxton finished the year with 95 tackles (63 solo), 4 interceptions (one TD return) and 12 pass break-ups on defense, while contributing 680 yards rushing (9.4 ypc), 368 receiving yards (24 catches), 126 passing yards and nine TDs for the offense. “Junior year, some kids really step forward and other kids make little strides," Tigers' coach Dennis Smith said. "His strides were outstanding in terms of knowing what we were doing in all phases of the defense and his athleticism that takes over in certain situations.”

Lucas Hubbard(Photo: Courtesy)

LUCAS HUBBARD

Rutland

Senior, back

6-foot, 160 pounds

•The player: The quarterback of the defense, Hubbard turned into an invaluable captain and contributor for a Raiders team that reached the D-I final one year after missing the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The three-year starter made the calls from the secondary, collected 50-plus tackles and snagged three INTs. He was also a big-play receiver on offense with 750 yards and 10 TDs. "He really figured it out as a senior and he put everybody in the right positions," Norman said. "As a senior, he was a great leader, that was his best attribute this year, his ability to lead his teammates."

Joey McCoy.(Photo: Courtesy)

JOEY MCCOY

Burr and Burton

Junior, back

6-foot-1, 182 pounds

•The player: McCoy, like his older brother Jay, was a playmaker and one of the state's best on both sides of the ball. McCoy led Burr and Burton, the D-II champ, with a team-best 63 tackles, 1 sack, 8 pass break-ups and 3 INTs. "He makes our calls on defense, he's our field general out there," coach Jason Thomas said. "He's one of the best competitors we've had — he puts his nose in there." On offense, McCoy took the reins under center from his brother and was as efficient and deadly as they come: Completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,827 yards, 24 TDs to just 2 INTs while running for 448 yards and 11 more scores.

Nick Porter.(Photo: Courtesy)

NICK PORTER

Hartford

Senior, back

5-foot-10, 185 pounds

•The player: Speed, skills and smarts made Porter, a repeat first-teamer, an indispensable leader for the Hurricanes during an injury-plagued senior season. “He’s just a natural athlete and one of the smartest kids we’ve had. He could play anywhere we asked him to," Hartford coach Matt Trombly said. The two-way standout shined at running back (739 yards, 6 TDs, 8.1 ypc) and free safety, where he shouldered the play-calling load for the Hurricanes defense after the graduation of Gatorade player of the year Tyler Hamilton.

Bailey Olson.(Photo: Courtesy)

BAILEY OLSON

Colchester

Senior, returner

6-foot-2, 185 pounds

•The player: The Lakers' own "Slash," there wasn't much that Olson didn't do this fall as a quarterback/receiver/running back/punter/kicker/free safety and a dangerous return man. The senior playmaker led the team in receiving yards, catches, TDs (13), TD passes (4) and interceptions, averaging 9.7 yards per touch and collecting 948 all-purpose yards. He even kicked a PAT and scored on a fake punt. “He’s one of the best players in the state — he can just do so many different things," Colchester coach Tom Perry said. “And the fun part with him is when you look for somebody to do the job, he raises his hand. He wants to do the job.”